The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 17Stevenson, Robert Louis
History
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 17
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Islands of the Pacific -- Fiction; Samoan Islands -- History; Short stories
of certain virtues, which the Germans had now given him an occasion to
display. Without hesitation he sacrificed himself, penned his touching
farewell to Samoa, and making more expedition than the messengers,
passed early behind Apia to the banks of the Vaisingano. As he passed,
he detached a messenger to Mataafa at the Catholic mission. Mataafa
followed by the same road, and the pair met at the river-side and went
and sat together in a house. All present were in tears. "Do not let us
weep," said the talking man, Lauati. "We have no cause for shame. We do
not yield to Tamasese, but to the invincible strangers." The departing
king bequeathed the care of his country to Mataafa; and when the latter
sought to console him with the commodore's promises, he shook his head,
and declared his assurance that he was going to a life of exile, and
perhaps to death. About two o'clock the meeting broke up; Mataafa
returned to the Catholic mission by the back of the town; and Malietoa
proceeded by the beach road to the German naval hospital, where he was
received (as he owns, with perfect civility) by Brandeis. About three,
Becker brought him forth again. As they went to the wharf, the people
wept and clung to their departing monarch. A boat carried him on board
the _Bismarck_, and he vanished from his countrymen. Yet it was long
rumoured that he still lay in the harbour; and so late as October 7th, a
boy, who had been paddling round the _Carola_, professed to have seen
and spoken with him. Here again the needless mystery affected by the
Germans bitterly disserved them. The uncertainty which thus hung over
Laupepa's fate, kept his name continually in men's mouths. The words of
his farewell rang in their ears: "To all Samoa: On account of my great
love to my country and my great affection to all Samoa, this is the
reason that I deliver up my body to the German government. That
government may do as they wish to me. The reason of this is, because I
do not desire that the blood of Samoa shall be spilt for me again. But I
do not know what is my offence which has caused their anger to me and to
my country." And then, apostrophising the different provinces:
"Tuamasanga, farewell! Manono and family, farewell! So, also, Salafai,
Tutuila, Aana, and Atua, farewell! If we do not again see one another in
this world, pray that we may be again together above." So the sheep
departed with the halo of a saint, and men thought of him as of some
King Arthur snatched into Avilion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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